Forget Me Not
by TwistedxDreams
Summary: There had never been a time when Frank Longbottom fathomed himself calling the vivacious and troublesome Alice Fawley his best mate. Likewise, Alice never even considered the bright yet horribly serious Ravenclaw boy as a possible friend. But there it was. And not once did both realize that they were always meant to find each other.
1. The Beginning

"Legend has it that many years ago; a knight and his lady were walking along the side of a river," he began, his voice deep and solemn, "The knight reached to pick a posy of flowers from a nearby bush, but because he was distracted by the beauty of the maiden and also because of the weight of his armour, he fell into the river. Right before he drowned, he tossed the flowers to his beloved, shouting, 'Forget me not!'"

"You actually believe that?" she asked mockingly as she looked up at him. They were lying under the vast cloudless sky with her head resting on his stomach.

"Don't you think it's romantic?" he exclaimed.

"It's complete bollocks if you ask me," she mutters before adding with a laugh, "And besides, since when did Frank Longbottom become a romantic?"

He shrugged then smiled. "Since the moment he found a reason to be."

But the knight did not die that day. He and his lady went on to be among the greatest Aurors of their time, having fought valiantly in the First Wizarding War. History books would later tell of their bravery and the terrible fate that had befallen them, but they always left out the more important part of the story. Because before the darkness and horror, there was light and love. They were Frank and Alice and this is a story of the life they shared together as encapsulated by a tiny blue flower.

* * *

_The Beginning_

There had never been a time when Frank Longbottom fathomed himself calling the vivacious and troublesome Alice Fawley his best mate. They were far too different individuals—from their houses to their interests. She believed in making the most of her stay at Hogwarts, even when it would cost her detention once every two weeks. He managed to veer away from any trouble of sort for all seven years he had been in the school, always thinking of what his mother would say. She liked to think that she lived in every moment. He'd rather plan ahead. She chose to be outside at any chance she got. He preferred to stay indoors, surrounded by leather-bound books.

Yet there it was. As he gazed upon her one lazy Thursday afternoon at their usual spot near the Black Lake, Frank found that he could no longer think of a time when Alice was anything but his best mate. Sure, he still enjoyed his time with his old friends from boyhood, but being in Alice's life—or more appropriately, her always being a constant presence in his—made him open up to her in a way he never did with anyone else. They became so used to each other that the thought of a single day going by that they would not see the other was unthinkable.

But on that lazy Thursday afternoon, something else crept up on Frank's mind. It was a thought that made his heart thump rapidly in his chest, making him feel as if he had just run a mile. It was foreign, yes, but not at all strange. Something stirred inside him as he watched Alice talk about the atrocities of bigotry that persisted in the Wizarding World. She was a very light-hearted person, but when she talked about matters that she was passionate about, it was wise not to challenge her unless learned in the subject. Or so Frank noticed. Her eyebrows were knotted in sheer concentration, her dainty mouth spewing out solid arguments and a few swear words here and there. Her arms move about as if she were conducting an orchestra, making her speech seem more dramatic. Frank noted the angle of the sunlight and how it poured over Alice so perfectly that she seemed like a glowing ethereal being.

That's when he knew. Their friends would later make fun of him for it—"You fell in love with Alice while she's having her daily rants?" "Really, Frank?"—but for all Frank Longbottom was, he couldn't help it.

Just as he couldn't help himself from telling Alice what he felt that day.

"You look beautiful," Frank heard himself say aloud. Oddly enough, he didn't find himself squirming in humiliation when she stopped abruptly and shot him a curious look. This was important, after all, because it was Alice herself who always teased him about how much of a hopeless case he was when it came to the art of flirting. And with girls in general. Frank realized that he didn't want to retract his words either or ignore her stare.

Instead, he felt brave; the way Alice looked at him gave him the courage to continue.

"Your eyes," he said, "I've never noticed how blue they are."

Alice shook her head, thinking how Frank must be getting madder by the second for being out in the sun for too long. It was the most logical explanation she could muster, anyway. Despite this, she could not help the scarlet shade that quickly tainted her usually pale cheeks. Frank found this endearing, however, so when she glanced up at him again, she saw him smiling.

"They really are beautiful, you know. As blue as these"—Frank crouched forward and picked a handful of flowers from the bush behind Alice—"forget-me-nots." He presented it to her with a lopsided grin and she accepted it before collapsing into his arms.

And just like that, Alice Fawley was no longer just Frank Longbottom's best mate. She was also his girlfriend, and would later go on to be his wife and the mother of his child. But most important of all, she had always been his soul mate. And while he initially had qualms about their friendship, Frank never questioned his love for Alice. He never found a reason to. Loving her, being with her, seemed as if it was the most natural thing in the world. And as their friends would later describe their new, more intimate relationship, "it was only a matter of time."


	2. The Middle

_The Middle_

She knew that it was bad luck for the groom to see his bride before the wedding so when Alice heard a knock on the door just a few minutes before the ceremony, she was surprised when Frank entered. She wanted to scold him for it, but when he held out his hand, her frustration melted away easily. And anyway Frank was too enchanted by Alice to even take notice of her displeasure.

"I figured you deserve fresh ones for this special day," Frank said when he found his voice.

"Thank you," Alice mumbled, as she took the small bouquet of forget-me-nots from him.

The comfortable silence between them was disrupted when the door swung open again, revealing an anxious Mrs Fawley standing at the doorway.

"Frank!" she shrieked. "I thought I told you not to see Alice!"

"Sorry Mrs Fawley. I couldn't help it," Frank said in jest and Alice let out a small giggle.

Though still infuriated for disobeying her orders, Mrs Fawley smiled in spite of herself. The faraway look in her eyes hinted that she was fondly remembering something from her past.

"I better go then. See you soon, love." Frank planted a soft kiss on Alice's temple before leaving.

Mrs Fawley took a few steps forward to get a better look at her daughter. Alice shied from her mother's gaze, feeling rather uneasy about how she looked all of a sudden. Her nerves were eventually kept at bay, however, when her mother cupped her cheek and said, "You've grown up so wonderfully, my darling."

Alice smiled. "Thank you, Mum."

"Now, what exactly did Frank want?"

* * *

It was foolish to have a wedding in the middle of a war. Alice knew this. She was aware of the many different risks that could happen if the Death Eaters had nothing better to do and decide to crash the party. Five years of being an Auror had taught her that sometimes, those wretched cronies of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would wreak havoc for no reason at all. And this wedding—this totally unorthodox wedding held at the most inopportune time possible—could just be a good enough reason for them to attack. So even though Alice fancied having a grand romantic wedding ever since she was a little girl, she grew up into a practical woman who decided to push her marriage plans to the side to fight for the greater good.

But Frank knew that it was Alice's girlhood dream and he wanted to give it to her, albeit slightly less majestic than he thought she expected. He, too, knew well enough of the twisted things that could happen. Yet it gave him all the more reason to put his plan in motion. Alice deserved to have her own wedding, regardless of the situation.

And yet, there was another reason, one that he tried to keep from entering his mind at all costs. Because in spite of the fact that he had been at the other end of a wand more times than he can count, Frank was frightened. But not of his job or the different criminals he had to face. He was used to them. His greatest fear was that his time with Alice would be cut short. He planned a long life for them and their future children. They would live in a quaint house with a large and beautiful garden at the back. They would watch their five children receive their Hogwarts letters, and though it would be painful at first, they would learn not to miss them so much once they'd gone. However, with the war only becoming worse, Frank began to understand that there was no time for waiting. Not in a war. So he wanted to make sure that he could give Alice a piece of forever even if only for a short time.

At precisely three o' clock, music filled the air and the guests turned their heads towards the back of the tiny tent to see the bride. Alice took her father's arm and nervously began to walk down the aisle. She still couldn't believe what was actually happening. The whole wedding was almost too spontaneous. Alice had to stifle a laugh at the memory of Frank proposing to her literally just yesterday. There were only a few guests to ensure the safety of the affair. Only the most important people were invited from each side of the family. Their friends and co-workers from the Auror office were still even in their uniforms when they came. Alice could not complain despite the plainness of the event, especially when her blue eyes finally met Frank's brown ones. She realized that so long as it was Frank waiting for her at the end of the aisle, there was no need to ask for anything more.

She couldn't wait to get married to him.

Alice would later tell Frank how grateful she was that the aisle was short enough; else she would have caused quite a scandal, running to him just because she was too excited. Frank would then tell her that in spite of feeling flattered of her confession, he was glad that she had not done so. After all, it would mean that she would be leaving her father standing awkwardly alone in the middle of all the guests, baffled by her daughter's eccentricity.

"Then I would have to say, 'I'm sorry sir. I don't even try, but your daughter just loves me so much.'"

"And I would say, 'He put a love potion on my food in sixth year, that's why!'"

But before all of that happened, the father and daughter finally came to a stop when they reached the altar, and Mr Fawley kissed Alice on her forehead before putting her hand on Frank's outstretched one.

"Hi," Alice mumbled, her lips curved into a wide, radiant grin.

"Hi," Frank breathed, his smile nervous yet bright.

When he noted the forget-me-nots in her hair, Frank couldn't help but fall more in love with her. He was expecting her to put the flowers he brought in her bouquet. He didn't know how but Alice always had the ability to surprise him even with just the little things she did.

"You look beautiful," he mouthed and she squeezed his hand gently.

"Dearly beloved…" the small and tufty-haired wizard began.


	3. The End

_The End_

A resounding _pop_ was heard and not a second after, Ginny Weasley appeared in the middle of an empty sitting room in the Longbottoms's residence. Normally, of course, she would have waited at the front door first before coming in. But when she found out that Neville was about to move out of his old childhood home, she found it the perfect opportunity to pay him a surprise visit. His uptight grandmother was doing some shopping at Diagon Alley anyway, so she didn't have to worry about anyone scolding her for rudely inviting herself in.

Ginny guessed that Neville would be up in his room so she dashed upstairs, careful not to let her footsteps be heard. When she reached the upper floor, however, she found herself face-to-face with a much cluttered hallway. She was too distracted formulating a reason behind what was happening to notice Neville coming out of one of the rooms carrying a heavy trunk. The loud clatter of it against the floor brought Ginny back to her senses and saw Neville standing a few feet away from her for the first time.

"Ginny," he mumbled, quite stunned to see her.

"I'm thinking I should've definitely owled first before coming, shouldn't have I?" she said, grimacing at the mess at her feet.

They both laughed before Ginny lunged forward and flung herself into Neville's arms. She felt herself being lifted from the ground and giggled when he spun her around, causing her foot to collide against a nearby box, toppling it over.

"What are you doing here?" Neville asked when he set Ginny down. "I haven't seen you in months."

"I've been really busy since I started playing for the Holyhead Harpies," Ginny started to explain, "But when I found out that my best friend was finally moving out, I just had to see you! This is a big day! Wait, you are moving today, right? I might not be able to go with you tomorrow anymore because I'll have practice by then and—"

"Relax, Gin. It's today," Neville answered as he put a calming hand on Ginny's shoulder. Looking at her, it was still quite surprising for him when he thought of everything they had been through together—from the moment he asked her to the Yule Ball to the nights they spent at the mercy of the Carrows. He could never have made it without Ginny, his best friend.

"So what are you still doing here then?" she questioned. "As it turns out, it's spring, the perfect time for cleaning!" he answered and Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Well, Gran told me that she has a few plans to alter the house a bit. Says she needs the extra rooms, so I had to clean up everything before I leave. I've been sorting out all morning, actually."

"I can help," Ginny volunteered and Neville smiled appreciatively.

Soon enough, with Ginny's help, Neville finally breathed out the sigh of relief he had been holding since his grandmother gave him the order early that morning. They rewarded themselves with a nice cool bottle of pumpkin juice as they lounged at Neville's bedroom. He was looking over the things in his trunk, making sure that he was not forgetting anything.

"Won't you bring your books with you?" Ginny asked, tracing her fingers along the spines of the books on the shelf.

"I'm not sure if I'd still be needing any of them. I might just give them away. I think I've already gotten the ones I need anyway," he answered.

Ginny shrugged as she took out a random book. It was quite different from the rest, having no text on the front cover or the spine. There was a thin strip of ribbon tied into a neat knot as if to keep the book from spilling out its contents.

"Hey, Nev. What is this?" she said as she walked over to where Neville was and handed the book to him.

A sign of recognition etched over Neville's features. "That's right! I knew I was forgetting something! Thanks Gin."

"What is it then?"

Neville pushed his trunk aside to give them space to sit on the bed. "It's my mum's old diary. She loved to write about everything, see. I found it when I was ten. I was hiding from Gran that day because I accidentally broke her favourite vase with magic," he explained, giving the journal back to her so that she could look at it for herself.

Unlike Tom Riddle's diary, Ginny noticed how every yellowing page was filled with beautifully written words from top to bottom, leaving no space untouched. She ran her fingertips along the page gingerly, taking in a few passages. I_ was shaking—more than I care to admit—when my name was called… Dorcas was quite adamant that I go to Hogsmeade with her. She's always up to something…I knew I had seen him before. Tall and lanky, it was quite hard not to miss Frank Longbottom walking down the corridor, brandishing his prefect badge all the while. But seeing him sitting alone at the edge of the sea, his eyes closed in meditation, made him seem quite different—a little bit handsome and a little less insufferable. It almost made me forget that he once took forty points from Gryffindor just because I decided it was time to hex that wretched Rabastan Lestrange…Frank decided to pull his first infraction before he could leave Hogwarts for good. He seemed rather too excited that I was a bit frightened for him. Nevertheless, his enthusiasm was contagious so it didn't take me long enough to feel at ease. He grabbed my hand and led me to the middle of the Quidditch field. Then we lay down on our backs to get a view of the sky. I looked up at Frank. His eyes were closed and there was a smile on his face. My heart swelled with love and I knew that we were truly meant to find each other._

Curiosity dawned on Ginny when she found a faded blue flower pressed on one of the pages. "It's a forget-me-not," Neville said when he found her looking at it. "Dad used to give it to Mum all the time. She collected each one." And sure enough, there were more pages with flowers stuck on them.

"Back when I was younger, I used to think that Mum wrote it for me. So that even if she was far away, she could still tell her story to me, about her and Dad," Neville continued, closing his eyes. "I like to think that they never forgot."

Neville felt Ginny take his hand, and he smiled at her touch because though it took him years to believe, he finally understood that he was never alone.


End file.
